Two-thirds of Scots believe Lockerbie bomber should go back to prison

TWO out of three Scots want Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi returned to jail, as the second anniversary of his controversial release approaches.

The UK head of the newly-recognised Libyan government has also said Scotland's release of the bomber sent out the "wrong signal", handing Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi "a political and diplomatic victory".

Guma el-Gamaty, the UK co-ordinator for the Libyan National Transitional Council, officially recognised by Britain as the country's new legitimate government, said Megrahi should have remained in Scotland to allow his appeal to be heard.

The developments have prompted fresh calls for the SNP government to apologise for the decision to release him on compassionate grounds.

Labour leader Iain Gray said: "This poll and comments from Libya's newly recognised government show how wrong this decision was and why it is time for Alex Salmond, on the second anniversary of al-Megrahi's release, to apologise finally to the relatives of the victims.

"The First Minister should recognise how painful it is for them that, two years on, not only is al-Megrahi still alive, but he is playing a role as an active supporter of Gaddafi and the Libyan regime. The sight of him last month acting as a cheerleader for a dictator indicted for war crimes turned the stomach."

Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds in August 2009 after being diagnosed with three months to live because of cancer.

A majority believe that he should not have been freed from prison in the first place, according to the poll by Panelbase.

It showed 48 per cent of 1,121 adults questioned in the UK said Megrahi should resume his sentence in a Scottish prison.

A total of 32 per cent said he should resume his sentence in a Libyan prison and 65 per cent believe he was guilty of the bombing.

The pollster interviewed 505 Scottish voters and 616 voters from the rest of the UK, aged 18 and above, between 2 August and 9 August.

Among the Scottish voters, 35 per cent said Megrahi should resume his sentence in a Scottish prison and an additional 31 per cent said he should resume his sentence in a Libyan prison. Only 24 per cent said he should remain free.

Just over half said their opinion now was that Megrahi should have remained in a Scottish prison to continue his sentence in the first place, and 18 per cent of Scottish voters believed that it was right to release him on compassionate grounds.

But a Scottish Government spokesman said: "Substantial opinion at home and abroad - such as Jim Swire and Nelson Mandela - supported the decision."

He added: "Al-Megrahi is dying of terminal prostate cancer, and was released on compassionate grounds based on the recommendations of the parole board, the prison governor and the report of the Scottish Prison Service's most senior medical professional. In every regard, the due and proper process of Scots law was followed."